Certain types of articles, such as food or beverage containers, are commonly sold either as individual units or in a multi-container carton. Each article is normally marked with a bar pricing code to enable it to be scanned and automatically totaled at a retail outlet when sold as an individual item. When packaged in conventional open-ended wrap-around carriers, pricing errors can occur if the scanner sees the pricing code on one of the articles instead of the code on the package itself. One way to prevent this from happening is to package the articles in a completely enclosed carton or carrier. An enclosed carrier is quite expensive, however, compared to a wrap-around carrier due to the greater amount of stock required.
It is preferred to provide wrap-around carriers with partial end panels of a size sufficient to cover the pricing code on the end articles in the package. Such a design requires less stock than a fully enclosed carrier and is correspondingly more economical to produce. Partial end panels designed to cover pricing codes located near the bottom of the article require only a short panel extending up from the bottom panel. Ideally, the short end panels should be large enough to cover the pricing code of the end articles, should not interfere with the normal fabrication and packaging methods of wrap-around carriers and should be locked in place after being formed. Preferably, the end panel arrangement should not only be locked in place but should also positively resist any tendency of the end articles to fall out of the package.
The main object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a wrap-around carrier with an improved partial end panel design which covers the pricing code of end articles and also prevents outward movement of the articles.